Vikings' J.J. McCarthy Makes NFL History with Comeback vs. Bears, Joins Steve Young

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy joined exclusive and elite company with his comeback win over the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, McCarthy is just the second NFL quarterback in the past 45 years to overcome a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter of their regular-season debut. The other is Pro Football Hall of Famer and San Francisco 49ers legend Steve Young, who did it with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985:

The Vikings entered the fourth quarter of Monday's game trailing the Bears 17-6, but McCarthy was responsible for three touchdowns in the final 12:13 to give Minnesota a 27-24, come-from-behind victory.

Although McCarthy was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft after leading Michigan to an undefeated season and a national title, he did not play at all during his rookie season due to a knee injury.

Sam Darnold enjoyed a career year as Minnesota's starter, but after he signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency, McCarthy was elevated to starter status for the 2025 campaign.

McCarthy looked very much like a rookie over the first three quarters of Monday's game, as the Vikings scored only six points, and he threw a 74-yard pick six to Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright.

However, McCarthy and the Minnesota offense fired on all cylinders in the fourth quarter, scoring touchdowns on three straight drives to go from 17-6 down to 27-17 up.

It started with a 13-yard touchdown pass to superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, followed by a 27-yard touchdown pass to veteran running back Aaron Jones, and then a 14-yard touchdown run by McCarthy himself.

▶️ Full Vikings-Bears Recap

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The Bears made things interesting when Caleb Williams threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Rome Odunze with 2:02 remaining, but Chicago didn't get the ball back until there were nine seconds left in the game, which allowed Minnesota to hold on for a 27-24 victory on the road.

McCarthy's final line was not overly impressive, as he went 13-of-20 for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing for 25 yards and one score.

Given that McCarthy did essentially nothing over the first three quarters, though, the fact that he was able to salvage his stat line and the game in the fourth quarter of his first start said plenty about his toughness and determination.

Michigan often leaned on its running game and defense during McCarthy's collegiate career, which is part of the reason why he didn't put up big numbers with the Wolverines.

Despite that, McCarthy was a winner through and through, posting a 27-1 record over his two seasons as the starter at Michigan.

His penchant for winning was on full display once again during his NFL debut, and while there is still plenty for McCarthy to improve upon, doing it coming off a win rather than a loss is a much easier pill to swallow for the Vikings.